Samson-post.



THOMAS J. ONEY, Ol*1 LAWRENCEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

SAMSON-POST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6,1909.

Application filed October 12, 1908. Serial No. 457,379.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, TnoMAs J'. Onur, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrenceville, in the county of Lawrence and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Samson- Posts; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in samson posts.

The object of the invention is to provide a Samson post for well drilling machines whereby the jar or jerking of the tool supporting cable is overcome and the drilling operation greatly facilitated.

Iith this and other objects in view, the

invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and particularlyT pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view partly in section showing my improved samson post as ap lied to a well drilling machine; Fig. 2 is a iorizontal scctional view taken above the post supporting frame on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Eig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the air regulating valve and its controlling mechanism whereby a uniform pressure of air is maintained in the air cylinder.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l denotes the samson post, which is formed in two sections, an upper section,` 2, and a lower section, 3, said sections being held and supported in operative position by means of guide posts, 4, which are suitably secured at their lower ends and are braced by inclined bracing posts, 6. The upper ends of the guide posts, 4, are secured together' in proper spaced relation by pairs of connecting` plates or bars, 7.

The lower section 3 of the samson post is rigidly held between the lower ends of the guide post, 4, and has arranged on its upper end an air cylinder, 8. The upper section, 2, of the samson post is slidably mounted between the guide posts, 4, and has secured to its lower end a piston rod, 9, on which is secured a piston, l0, which works in the cylinder, 8, on the lower section of the post. The piston rod, 9, works through a stuffing box von the head of the cylinder. In one side of the cylinder 8, adjacent to its upper end are formed ports, l2, which are connected by a tube, 13. The ports l2 and tube 13 are provided for the purpose of equalizing the pressure of air in the cylinder on the opposite sides of the piston.

To the lower end of the cylinder is connected an air supply pipe, 14, which is connected to a compressed air tanlr, l5, whereby the cylinder is kept su )plied with air. In the pipe, 14, is arranged a check valve, 16, the stem of which is connected to a controlling lever, 17, pivoted to one ofthe guide posts, 4. The lever, 17, is provided with a spring, 18, and an adjustable weight, 19, which serve to hold the valve closed against any desired amount of pressure, thus providing for the maintenance of auniform pressure of air in the cylinder.

The inner side of the guide post 4 has formed therein V-shaped guide ribs, 20, with which engage V-shaped grooves 21, formed on the opposite sides of the upper section 2 of the samson post, whereby said post is guided in its reciprocatingI movement between the guide posts. Pivotally mounted on the upper end of the section, 2, of the samson post is a walking beam, 22, to one end of which is secured the usual or any desired form of adjustable cable attaching device, 23, to the lower end of which is connected the drill carrying cable, 24. To the opposite end of the walking beam, 22, is connected a pitman rod, 25, said rod being preferably loosely connected to the pitman by a bail, 26, which engages a groove in the upper side of the beam, and is held in place by a clamping plate, 27. The lower end of the pitman rod, 25, is pivotally connected to an operating cranlr, 28, mounted on a suitably driven operating shaft, 29, said shaft, being operatively mounted on the upper end of a bearing standard, 30, as shown.

In the operation of the device when the crank 28 is revolved and moves downwardly from the upper center to the lower center of its stroke, the piston, 10, in the air cylinder begins to move down and to thereby compress the air in the lower portion oi the cylinder and to allow the air in the upper portion to expand until a degree of compression and expansion is reached sufficient to permit the compressed air in the lower portion of the cylinder to lift the walking beam and thereby raise the tool or drill. This lifting movement will continue until the crank pin passes the lower center of its stroke and begins its return or upstroke, at which time the walking beam is rocked and the tool thereby dropped. When the crank pin reaches the upper center 'of its stroke, compression of the air in the cylinder again takes place as before and increases until the tool strikes bottom. The latent energy or force stored away in the falling of the tool being expended when the tool strikes the bottom, the compressed air in the cylinder below the piston and the expanded air above, together with the downward movement of the crank, 28, immediately picks up the tool without jerking and throws it to a greater height than before. The tool being thus thrown to a greater height, the weight of the same is taken oif the walking beam, which, by the expansion of the air below the piston, is thrown upwardly with much torce. When the piston 10 reaches a point between the orts l2, the air pressure in the cylinder will be immediately equalized on both sides of the piston, after which compression takes place above the piston until the upward movement of the walking beam is stopped, when the latter is caused to quickly drop. The crank pin at this time is moving toward its upper center on the upstroke, so that the tool is again allowed to drop as betere, when the operation is repeated.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacriiicing any of the advantages of the invention as deiined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

l. A samson post formed in a plurality of sections, guiding and sup porting posts adapted to hold said sections in operative position, a compressed air cylinder arranged between the sections of the post, a piston rod on one of said sections, a piston on said rod to operate in said compressed air cylinder whereby said sections are yieldingly connected together and means to equalize the air pressure on opposite sides of the piston.

2. A samson post comprising a lower iixed section and an upper reciprocating section, guide posts to support said sections in an operative position, a compressed air cylinder arranged on the upper end of the lower section, a piston rod and piston secured to the lower end of the upper section and adapted to work in said cylinder', and means whereby the pressure of air in the cylinder is equalized on opposite sides of said piston.

3. A samson post comprising upper and lower sections, guide posts to hold said sections in operative position, a compressed air cylinder arranged on the upper end of said lower section, said cylinder having formed therein connected air equalizingports, a compressed air tank connected with said cylinder, a check valve arranged in the connecting pipe between said tank and cylinder', means to control the operation of said valve, a piston and piston rod connected to the lower end of the upper section and adapted to work in said cylinder whereby the compressed air in said cylinder provides an elastic comicotion between the sections of the post.

4. In a well drilling machine, a Samson post formed in upper and lower sections, a walking beam pivotally connected to the upper end of said upper section, guide posts to support said sections in operative position, a compressed air cylinder' on the upper end of said lower section, a piston rod and piston secured to the lower end of the upper section and adapted to work in said compressed air cylinder whereby said upper section of the post is caused to facilitate the operation of the walking beam in raising and lowering the drilling tool and a by-pass in the cylinder to equalize the air pressure on opposite sides ol the piston.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS J. ONEY. 'Vitnesses:

HARRY E. LUCE, IRA S. SALrsBUnY. 

